News

December’s unemployment rate in St. Joseph County increased by one-tenths of a percent from November. Figures from the monthly labor-market analysis by the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget show St. Joseph County’s unemployment rate rose from 4 percent in November to 4.1 percent in December. St. Joseph County’s unemployment rate 12 months earlier was 3.5 percent. Cass County, …

A Three Rivers man was hospitalized after being struck by a car over the weekend in Cass County’s Calvin Township. Sheriff Richard Behnke said deputies were called around 12:20 a.m. Saturday to Calvin Center Road, just south of Calvin Hill Street, in response to a two-vehicle crash. Deputies said a vehicle driven by Elkhart resident Nicole Gant, 28, was heading north …

Michigan State Police troopers are investigating the larceny of two travel trailers taken earlier this month from a location in Sturgis Township. Officials said the incident occurred between Jan. 3 and Jan. 25 in the 71000 block of Nottawa Road. The trailers were parked in a gated storage lot. The first trailer is a 32-foot, Alpha Wolf. The second is …

A Kalamazoo County man was in court last week for several violations related to illegal deer hunting. Authorities said Scott Meisterheim, 55, of Kalamazoo, faced a pretrial on 10 counts of illegal deer hunting. He was arraigned earlier this month and is currently serving 18 months of probation for aggravated domestic assault. Evidence collected during the investigation revealed that Meisterheim …

At least four more Michigan State football players facing misdemeanor charges for a skirmish inside the Michigan Stadium tunnel will likely have their cases dismissed in exchange for community service and other conditions, lawyers said Friday. “It’s going to happen outside of court,” said Max Manoogian, an attorney for Angelo Grose. “There is going to be no criminal responsibility whatsoever. …

A Saginaw man accused of killing a Schoolcraft couple nearly two years ago in a Kalamazoo County car crash was found not guilty of second-degree murder this week. Twenty-eight-year-old Ezra Phillips, however, was found guilty on two counts of operating while intoxicated causing death. Each count  carries a 15-year maximum sentence. Phillips was driving a Dodge Durango at a high …

Michigan State Police troopers are investigating the larceny of a travel trailer taken from a location in Mottville Township. Authorities said the incident occurred between Dec. 20 and 21 from a residence in the 68000 block of Vistula Road. The trailer is a Trail-Cruiser camper trailer, white in color with dual axles. The trailer has a red sticker on the …

Branch-St. Joseph Area Agency on Aging officials recently summarized a webinar about the ending of Medicaid Pandemic coverage. Some key points: States can start re-determinations Feb 1. No one can be terminated from Medicaid until April 1. If someone is terminated from Medicaid and they don’t have Medicare, they can apply for insurance coverage through the Healthcare Marketplace. Being terminated …

Nurses at ProMedica Coldwater Regional Hospital are indicating to superiors they are giving consideration to calling a strike. Nurses at the Coldwater-based facility have been working without a contract since the start of the year. Furthermore, they have voted down three contract proposals presented by ProMedica. The two organizations started contract-related talks in September. No new talks have been scheduled. …

A free wellness clinic is coming to Sturgis next month. Co-sponsored by the St. Joseph County United Way, the clinic will take place 3 to 6 p.m. Feb. 16 at Sturgis Fire Department, on North Nottawa Street. The clinic will feature Moderna and Pfizer COVID booster shots. In addition, flu vaccines will be available. Insured individuals are asked to bring …